Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s (ZEEL) second Hindi GEC ‘Zee Next’ has planned an aggressive marketing initiative ensuring its awareness among its viewers. The channel was launched on December 17 this year.

With a mixed bag of programming, Tarun Mehra, Head of Marketing, Zee Next, explained that the best way to ensure complete awareness was through the Zee network.

While commenting on the marketing challenge to capture viewers – with Zee already having a GEC in the form of Zee TV – Mehra said, “We are the best and have the biggest networks in the regional channels in Marathi and Bengali, as well as cinema. So we plan to create awareness through our networks. As far as the possibility of losing viewership within the Zee network, we actually anticipate more viewers from other channels to come to Zee Next.”

The marketing initiative will include outdoor activities on a large scale. The channel will drive its outdoor activities through balloon activity, dabbawalas and an auto-copter activity. For one week, more than 1,000 dabbawalas across Mumbai will sport Zee Next branded shirts, along with silver ties.

Under the auto-copter activity, in sync with the tagline ‘Dil Wahi Dhadkan Nayi’, the auto-rickshaw would be modified into a helicopter with LCD screen showing promos of Zee Next programmes. This will be placed in different locations in Mumbai.

Mehra added, “Along with outdoor, we will showcase our channel’s promos through our own and other networks, as well like some news channels to get additional audiences. For radio, we have tied up with top three-four stations.”

The channel has divided its marketing campaign in two phases, wherein the first phase was the awareness of the channel’s existence as ‘Zee Next - Dil Wahi Dhadkan Nayi’. Mehra revealed that the budget for the first phase of marketing was Rs 18-20 crore, for pan-India.

The second phase of the channel’s campaign includes its communication for its new shows. The five new shows on the channel are ‘Jhoome Jiiya Re’ produced by DJ’s A Creative Unit, ‘Ek Thi Rajkumari’ produced by BAG Films, ‘Yahaan Ke Hum Sikander’ produced by Cinevistaas Ltd, ‘Simplly Sapney’ produced by Adai Mehra Productions, and ‘Pyaar Ishq Mohabbat’ by Face Entertainment